Penn State New Kensington to lead conference on technology, education, future readiness of students

Penn State New Kensington is expanding efforts to bolster future readiness among students as technology in business and industry continues to advance at rapid rates.

A conference led by the university, dubbed “Education Vanguard: Building the Education of the Future Together,” will run Thursday through Saturday at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry. The project is part of the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative, one of the federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant awardees.

“This is a continual effort,” Chancellor Kevin Snider said. “We can’t just sit on our laurels anymore — because the technology is changing so fast.”

As technology continues to advance, it’s on educators to use the infrastructure as a tool while also ensuring it enhances humanity, Snider said. He said the university’s goal is to benefit the region and its businesses by producing skilled and informed workers.

“I think we have a real shot at creating a workforce that can compete successfully on a global stage,” Snider said.

By the conference bringing together professionals in different fields, Snider said attendees will learn more about groundbreaking technology and its influence on a various industries as well as society.

Keynote speakers include Illah Nourbakhsh, a Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor, covering artificial intelligence, humanity and education; Snider, sharing education’s role in “Industry 4.0” and rapid technological advancement; Karen Alexander, director of technology company XRConnectED, discussing immersive technology in industry and education; and E. Michelle Ramsey, a professor at Penn State Berks, exploring AI in humanities.

Other panel discussions will address topics such as technology’s impact on business sectors, the state of K-12 education and future readiness, and workforce needs in advanced manufacturing.

About 170 people have signed up for the conference, said event organizer Shirley Campbell. Registrations are no longer being accepted.

Campbell said the conference is a “collaborative effort” to best prepare for future readiness and adapting to technology for infrastructure and society.

Snider and Penn State New Kensington have been building future readiness in the region for a number of years, and the conference is just another way of doing that, she said.

“It’s an opportunity for (higher education, K-12 professionals and business and industry leaders) to come together and talk about situations that they may not have had the opportunity to discuss,” Campbell said.